


Becoming Katherine

by esm3rald



Category: The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood Drinking, Blood Sharing, Bloodlust, Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance, Self-Insert, Sexual Content, Starts at the end of season1, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-01 18:03:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13300302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esm3rald/pseuds/esm3rald
Summary: Kate is just a girl who watches 'the vampire diaries' on TV, until she has an accident. Instead of dying, she wakes up in someone else's body. The body of the one and only…Katherine Pierce. Begins in the last episode of season1, Founder's Day. Damon/OC.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own the vampire diaries or any of its characters, nor do I make money by writing this story.

****

**Prologue**

Kate was on a plane to Virginia and she was watching an old episode of the Vampire Diaries. The last episode of the first season, to be exact.

She arrived at the part when Damon was trapped in a burning building and Stefan entered to save him and then suddenly, the plane started to move in an erratic way. The lights started to go on and off and people started to panic. Kate grabbed the armrests and tried to stay calm but she was afraid. Something was very wrong.

The plane crew tried to calm people down and reassure them but they felt like empty words. Kate closed her eyes and started to pray – a very unusual thing for her to do but given the circumstances she just couldn't avoid it. The oxygen masks fell from the ceiling and that was when she realized that the situation was getting worse.

She still had the earphones on and she heard, like from very far away, Katherine pretending to be Elena with Damon. She heard Damon saying: 'I don't do good, it's not in me.' and Katherine replying: 'Maybe it is.' Then everything turned black.

She woke up in a hotel room, very disoriented. The disorientation didn't last long, however. She opened her eyes and looked around her, wandering where she was.

With the corner of her eye she spied a reflection in the mirror and turned around to look directly at it. She meant 'a reflection' because what she was seeing was definitely not 'her' reflection.

She got up slowly but instead she found herself in front of the mirror in less than a second. "Wait what? What just happened?" Even her voice was different.

She looked at the reflection she was seeing in front of her and widened her eyes. She touched her nose and lips with a finger and watched the reflection doing the same.

"What the hell?" She said, more and more bewildered. She looked like Nina Dobrev. More than that, she looked like Katherine Pierce. The hair, the clothes, it all screamed Katherine.

She started to get upset and scared and she noticed veins appearing under her eyes and fangs sprouting over her teeth.

She breathed deeply to calm herself down and noticed both veins and fangs disappearing.

"Okay, I must be dreaming. I must have fallen asleep on the plane. No big deal, I was watching an episode of the 'vampire diaries' after all."

But then she remembered. And she knew that she couldn't have fallen asleep. They had crashed, hadn't they?

"Am I dead? What's going on?"

She pinched her arm with force but nothing happened except for feeling the pain. Except that the pain lasted very little and the red imprint she had left on her skin disappeared immediately after.

Kate sat on the bed, trying to think. "Okay, let's recap what I know. I was on a plane. The plane probably crashed. I lost consciousness. Then I woke up here. In Katherine Pierce's body, vampire perks included. It appears I'm not sleeping but that's still not certain. I may be dead or in a coma but that's not certain either. What to do?"

Kate decided first of all to figure out when she was. If she was in the vampire diaries – dream or not – she wanted to know when in the vampire diaries she was. It didn't look like 1864 seeing as she was dressed in jeans, top and high heels. It was probably during one of the seasons of the vampire diaries and probably one of the first four since in the fifth one Katherine was human.

She decided to check the phone she could see on the nightstand. The date was 25th February 2010. Founder's Day. End of season 1 then.

It was still very early in the morning and she still didn't know where she was. She decided to check the GPS in her phone and find out if she was already in Mystic Falls or not.

The GPS said that she was in Charlottesville, exactly three hours away from Mystic Falls.

Suddenly Kate didn't care if she was dreaming or not, if this was really happening or not, if she would go back to her life at one point or not or if she was in a coma and imagining everything or if she was dead and this was some very strange afterlife.

All that Kate really cared about at the moment was that she was Katherine Pierce before Katherine came to Mystic Falls and caused all the havoc that she did.

A wide smirk appeared on her face at the thought. "Damon still loves Katherine at this point, or at least he isn't completely over her yet, though he has already developed feelings for Elena. What if…" She stops, feeling kind of silly for even thinking about it but it wasn't like such a chance happened every day. Not only the chance of meeting Damon Salvatore in person but also of him being in love with you? "Well, not me, since I'm not really Katherine." She amended. "Though I'm Katherine now, am I not? I'm in her body so…I wonder if I'm going to get her memories as well at one point or another. Don't know if that would be a good or bad thing."

Anyway, the point was, she could go to Mystic Falls and at least meet Damon while in Katherine's body. Depending on how long she would be there, she could try to change some things. Avoid breaking Damon's heart for once. Explain why she hadn't contacted the Salvatore brothers once in 150 years, why she had even pretended to be trapped in that tomb. The whole Klaus/curse thing. She could do some real good while she was there, especially if she stayed for a while.

Then there was also the fact that there was a certain freedom to being Katherine. Sure she didn't mean to turn into a selfish, heartless bitch like her but Katherine had definitely a fun, sarcastic side that Kate appreciated, a lot. And she was also always so confident and sure of herself and her attractiveness – sometimes a little too arrogant though which wasn't good but still…And she was so good at having men falling in love with her (though she was so damn manipulative, using men and breaking their hearts left and right). Still, Katherine looked like someone who could really enjoy life and made you enjoy it too. She decided to channel all of Katherine's good qualities and forget about the bad. She needed to pass for Katherine after all but she had no intention of being as cruel as she was. She wanted to go to Mystic Falls to meet Damon (and maybe make him fall in love with her as well) and help Elena against Klaus instead of going to Mystic Falls just to collect people to hand over to Klaus for his sacrifice.

That reminded her. There was the Mason problem she had to deal with, somehow. She didn't want to kill him but she definitely didn't want to sleep with him and pretend to love him either like Katherine did. Though she still needed him to retrieve the moonstone.

Kate decided to think about that later. Instead she packed everything that was in the room that obviously belonged to Katherine and then left the hotel from the window. She checked around for someone to compel so she could steal his or her car.

At the idea of people, she felt the veins in her eyes appear again and she realized suddenly that she was very thirst. Her throat was on fire. Was that what it felt like to crave blood? It wasn't very pleasant.

She noticed someone, a woman, walking with a grocery bag in her hand. She decided to follow her until she would be alone. A few minutes later she entered an alley and that was the moment when she decided to 'pounce'. She really hoped she would be able to stop herself from draining her dry because she really didn't want to kill anyone and also, that she would be able to compel her. She was counting on the muscle memory in Katherine's body – she was after all a 500 years old vampire.

She got the hang on vamp-speed quickly and appeared in front of her. The woman screamed in fright so Kate looked deep into her eyes and ordered: "Don't scream." The woman immediately stopped. Kate grinned to herself. "Okay, now, don't run and don't be afraid. I'm going to drink from you but it's not going to hurt. You won't feel any pain. When you start to feel faint, you'll tell me and I'll stop." The woman was rooted in place, though she didn't appear scared anymore. "Nod if you understand." The woman nodded. "Good."

Kate looked at the vein in her neck and felt her fangs appeared. She was so thirsty. She bit on the woman's neck as slowly and carefully as she could, feeling the warm blood invading her mouth. Part of her – the rational part – felt a little disgusted at the idea of drinking blood but most of her was too thirsty to care. And really, the blood was delicious.

She drank in small gulps, feeling her thirst receding slowly. Then she heard the woman's voice saying "I'm feeling faint." Kate took a few more small gulps and then stopped.

"How are you feeling? Answer honestly." She ordered.

"A little weak but good."

Kate nodded to herself before ordering her to give her her car. The woman said that it was at her house. Kate followed her until they reached the woman's house. The car was parked right outside. At that point, she compelled the woman to tell the police that her car had been stolen and to forget everything that happened.

The woman left her the keys and then went inside the house like nothing had happened. Kate smiled to herself and got in the car. She programmed the GPS and then started the engine. Her direction, Mystic Falls.


	2. Chapter 1

****

**Chapter 1**

Kate arrived in Mystic Falls at midday. She checked in at Mrs. Flowers' bed and breakfast and locked herself in the room she had been given. Another wave of memories hit her and she clutched her head in pain. After long minutes of watching Stefan picking up Elena's necklace from the floor of a bar in Chicago in the 1920's and then being interviewed by someone that she recognized as Mikael, she 'woke' up and took a deep breath.

All morning she had been having flashbacks of Katherine's memories, thing that had made it very difficult for her to reach Mystic Falls without crashing her car. She certainly took much more time than she would have normally to reach Mystic Falls. When she had wondered if she would get Katherine's memories as well she didn't really thought she would but there she was, reliving Katherine's 500 years of life like it was her own. She wondered if that was how a newly turned vampire felt when she remembered memories that had been compelled away.

It was strange, seeing Katherine's life through her eyes, feeling what she had felt – mostly what she hadn't felt since most of her emotions were turned off – and yet, being completely involved in the memories herself. She lived through Katherine's memories like they were her own, her feelings while seeing them were very much her own. And she didn't have her emotions turned off like Katherine had so everything was much more intense and real than anything she had ever felt before – not even her own memories were as strong. Now she knew what they meant when they said that emotions were amplified as a vampire – and also why a lot of vampires turned off their humanity. It was almost too much. The pain, the guilt…she felt like she was drowning in it.

Kate tried to calm herself down and concentrate on the few happy memories she had – they were mostly memories of Damon. Kate had no idea how Katherine could have fallen for Stefan and not Damon. Sure, Stefan had been sweet and kind but he had never accepted Katherine as she really was. He had been scared of her, he had thought of her as a monster when he had found out that she was a vampire. Katherine had to compel him not to afraid of her otherwise he probably would have told his father long ago what she was.

It wasn't real, whatever there was between them, no matter how Katherine wished it was. Wasn't Katherine herself that had said: 'True love isn't real unless it is returned'? Well, this wasn't real because Stefan had to be compelled – not to love her no, but to accept her as a vampire. Damon, on the other hand, had been a willing participant, always. He had accepted what she was – the good and the bad – and he had loved her anyway. He wanted to be turned just so they could be together forever.

Kate had never experienced something like this, so much acceptance and trust and so much love – and so much passion as well. It was all consuming. She couldn't help but fall in love with Damon while living these memories, even if they were technically not her own. He was more to her now than just a fictional character – albeit her favorite one – he was real for her, just like Stefan was, or Klaus or Elijah, because she felt like she actually met them, had memories of them that felt real. She genuinely loved Damon now and she was willing to do everything she could to make him fall in love with her as well.

Kate was not going to be like Katherine, she was going to be honest, she would tell him and Stefan everything. She would explain why she had faked her own death. She would tell them about Klaus and Elijah. And she hoped Damon would forgive her one day for everything Katherine had put him through. She wasn't going to give up. It wasn't like time was an issue for her.

Right now she had a few loose ends to tide up. Like Mason Lockwood. Fortunately it wasn't the full moon, therefore she didn't have anything to fear from his bite and she was stronger than him.

Katherine had basically forced Mason to turn while seducing him into thinking she loved him, just so she could get the moonstone and then she was planning on giving him to Klaus as a sacrifice. Kate had another idea in mind though, to deal with him.

She called him to tell him she was finally in Mystic Falls, like they had agreed before and where exactly she was. Mason said he would leave immediately and that he would arrive tomorrow.

"I love you baby!" He said and Kate felt like the worst person in the world.

"I'll see you soon." She barely said in response before hanging up.

She had to wait until after John would active the device before showing up at Elena's house. She would keep an eye on the situation because she knew John would use the device to capture and kill Damon and Stefan as well and she couldn't have that. She loved Damon, that was true, but she cared a lot about Stefan as well and she certainly didn't want to see him die.

She knew from her memories of the TV show that both Damon and Stefan would survive but that it would come really close for Damon and that was all John's fault. At the idea of Damon being hurt, she felt furious enough to want to kill John but she knew she couldn't. That didn't mean she didn't have to hurt him however. After all, as long as she left the Gilbert ring on his finger, she could technically kill him since it wouldn't be a permanent death.

Kate smirked a little before deciding to raid a nearby hospital for blood bags. Better not to feed on the Mystic Falls' population, she didn't want to attract attention to herself. And really, she still felt a little uncomfortable about feeding on people, maybe even more so after receiving all of Katherine's memories. She knew she was perfectly in control of her bloodlust but she still didn't want to risk killing anyone.

The rest of the day passed slowly then finally it was nighttime. She observed the rounding up of the vampires in the town square at night from the rooftop of a nerby building – wearing a pair of earplugs to fight off the effect of the device – and waited. She looked on with dread as John captured Damon and threw him with the other vampires in the basement of Dr Gilbert's old office and then, Stefan and Elena arrive with Bonnie trying to stop Elena from entering the burning building. Stefan ignored the two arguing girls and entered to save his brother. A few minutes later he was carrying Damon out. Kate a breathed a sigh of relief and went to steal Elena's period dress before making her way towards her house.

She was about to reach the front porch when she noticed Damon getting out.

"What are you doing here?" Kate asked, though she knew why he was there. She felt her heart sped up in her chest at the excitement of finally seeing him in person. He looked so…perfect.

Kate almost smiled like an idiot in her happiness but fortunately refrained herself. It really felt like she hadn't seen him in 150 years.

Damon smiled slightly at her, mistaking her for Elena. "Failed and feeble attempt at doing the right thing."

"Which was...?" She asked, going the three steps up the porch.

"It's not important." Damon said, shaking his head before saying, "Let me take this for you." He took the dress and bag from her hands and put them on the wicker sofa near him.

"Thank you." Kate said, not recognizing her own voice because of how soft it was. She was sure her eyes were giving away all she was feeling so she tried to calm herself down.

Damon turned around in slight surprise, probably at the tone of her voice but didn't comment on it, though he had a very small smile on his lips now.

"You know, I came to this town wanting to destroy it." He said, coming closer to her. "Tonight, I found myself wanting to protect it. How does that happen? I'm not a hero, Elena. I don't do good. It's not in me."

It hurt, hearing him say Elena's name. It hurt that he hadn't recognized her. "I think it is." She said with conviction.

Damon shook his head. "Nah, it's reserved for my brother, and you...and Bonnie...who, even though she has every reason to hate me, still helped Stefan save me."

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

Damon came even closer to her at that. "Because she did it for you. Which means that somewhere along the way, you decided that I was worth saving. And I wanted to thank you for that."

"You're welcome." She replied, though her voice wasn't as soft now. Damon kissed her cheek and she felt cold because she knew that kiss wasn't for her. He looked into her eyes and was about to kiss her on the lips when Kate decided that enough was enough.

"You know, I have to say I'm disappointed." She said, her voice playful though she wasn't feeling it.

"What?" Damon asked confused, moving away from her.

"You waited a century and a half to open the tomb just to free me. I thought that meant you still love me." At those words Damon widened his eyes in complete surprise but seemed incapable of saying anything. He was rooted on the spot. "Granted, I wasn't there, but still, is the thought that counts, isn't it? And yet, now, you try to kiss Elena? Really?" She grimaced at that and then let her eyes shine with the hurt she was feeling, just for a moment. "Have you already forgotten me Damon? Don't you love me anymore?" She pouted at him, playful and sarcastic, pretending that it didn't bother her but it did.

"Katherine?" He finally asked in a strangled whisper.

She smiled at him sweetly. "Hello, my love. Did you miss me?"

The moment was interrupted by Aunt Jenna that probably noticed the tension between the two of them because she said, "It's late, you should probably come inside."

Kate smiled at Jenna in her best Elena impersonation. "Sure Aunt Jenna, just a second."

Jenna grumbled a little but went back inside.

Damon glared at her as soon as Jenna was out of earshot, his eyes now filled with hate. "What are you doing here Katherine?"

"Would you believe me if I said, I missed you?" She smiled at him flirtatiously but Damon just scoffed at her.

"Not a chance in hell, or you would have shown up…hum…I don't know…a century ago? Instead you made me believe you were trapped in that tomb for 150 years."

Katherine sighed in real sadness and guilt at that and Damon looked at her surprised. She knew that Katherine wasn't one to show her feelings openly.

"I wanted to, Damon. Believe me. I wanted to tell you many times. But I couldn't…I was trying to protect you." She said sincerely.

Damon looked confused at that. "Protect me from what?" Then his expression changed and became cold and angry once again. "Nah, you know what? I won't buy a word you say ever again. It's all lies anyway."

Kate shook her head. "It's okay if you don't believe me now but you will." Damon ignored her words and tried to attack her but Katherine sidestepped him easily before grabbing his neck in her hand before pushing him against the wall, slightly choking him and stopping his movements.

"I'll explain everything soon, I promise." She kissed him lightly on the lips, just a feather-light kiss that sent sparks down her body. Damon widened his eyes at the sweet, almost innocent gesture, then Kate said with a colder voice, "I'm sorry but right now I can't let you interfere." And with that, she snapped his neck and moved his body away from sight before entering Elena's house.

Jenna was going down the stairs in that moment, obviously ready to go out. She told her something about the assurance for the building that had went up in flames but she wasn't really listening. She entered the kitchen and watched John opening the fridge, her anger burning hot in her veins. John closed it and was startled to find her there.

"You scared me." He said and Kate heard perfectly his heart beating faster.

"Sorry." She replied a little mockingly. She grabbed a few glasses from the kitchen table and moved them to the sink, all the while feeling John's eyes on her.

"You know...I first met Isobel when I was a teenager." He explained. "I fell in love with her instantly, although I'm pretty sure she never loved me. She was special. A part of why I hate the vampires so much is because of what she became, how it ruined her." Kate listened vaguely to his words while in the meantime pretending to tide up the kitchen by putting away some cutlery. "And I never would have sent her to Damon had I known she wanted to turn. It's my fault."

She looked at him, feeling pity despite herself. Then she immediately looked away, arranging kitchen knives in its case.

"I'm telling you this because I hoped maybe you'd understand." He said, coming to stand next to her. Kate looked at him a second before saying, "Thank you."

John nodded at her. "Can I help?"

Kate looked at his ring, a large kitchen knife in hand, before she said, "Sure." Then, without warning, she pushed John against the counter, a hand on his throat. "Katherine?!" John asked her, now terrified. Kate smiled at him, her vampire face coming to the surface.

"I warned you that Damon and Stefan were off-limits." She said then, her voice cold and angry.

In that moment she felt Damon's presence behind her even before he spoke. "Let him go Katherine."

Katherine shook her head, not looking at him, her attention focused on John's terrified face. "I'm not gonna kill him. At least, not permanently." With that, she stabbed him on the stomach. John screamed but Katherine had already moved away from him and was standing in front of Damon.

"I'll see you soon Damon." She said to him before mouthing, "I love you," then she disappeared into the night.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, chapter 2! No Kate/Katherine in this one but you see the reactions of Damon, Elena and Stefan. For now not much is different from Canon but things will change very soon. Hope you like it!

****

**Chapter 2**

Damon was still standing in the kitchen bewildered and shocked about what had just happened when Elena entered the house.

He heard her calling out for Jeremy and that was when Damon noticed Jeremy's heartbeat was a little slower than normal. Maybe he was sleeping.

John chose that moment to groan and Damon came closer to him, undecided if he should feed him his blood or not. John had after all tried to kill him not even an hour ago. And, like Katherine said, it wasn't like if he died, his death would be permanent.

Before he could decide what to do Elena entered the kitchen and gasped.

"Damon? What…?" She looked at John gasping on the floor, a pool of blood all around him.

Then her eyes turned angry. "What did you do?"

Damon rolled his eyes, though he felt hurt. Of course Elena would think he was the one who did this. Something goes wrong? Something bad happens? Let's blame Damon.

"I didn't do this Elena." He replied in a flat voice.

Elena ignored him and went to kneel at John's side. She put her hand on his stomach, trying to stop the bleeding and then turned towards him. "Can you do something?"

"Like feeding him my blood? Do you think that's a good idea? You know that if he dies, he'll come back."

Elena looked at the ring still on his finger then and nodded. She called 911 then.

"911, what's your emergency?" the voice on the other line answered.

"Hi, I-I need an ambulance to 2104 Maple Street." Elena replied in a panicked voice.

"The ambulance will be with you in about ten minutes. Have a good day!"

Elena hung up and turned towards him. "What happened? Who did this?"

"Katherine happened."

Elena widened her eyes and Damon could feel the fear radiating from her, her heart accelerating even more on her chest.

"Katherine?" She sounded on the verge of a panic attack. Then she widened her eyes even more, so much so that Damon was worried they were going to pop out, and she gasped, "Jeremy!"

Before Damon could tell her that Katherine hadn't touched Jeremy, she sprinted up the stairs. Damon followed her with a sigh.

"Jeremy! Jeremy!" She called to him, finding him unconscious. She tried to shake him awake. "Please, Jeremy, wake up!"

Jeremy woke with a gasp and Damon listened, finding his heart was beating strongly in his chest. He was fine. Whatever had happened that had slowed his heart-rate it appeared to have passed. "He's fine, Elena. He's okay."

Elena breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

Damon heard the ambulance arriving and they went downstairs to open the door. John was taken away on a stretcher and that was when Stefan arrived at the house. The officer tried to keep Stefan from entering but Elena said it was okay. "He's my boyfriend."

The officer nodded and left.

Stefan followed Elena upstairs to Jeremy's room but Damon decided to remain downstairs, feeling as usual like a third wheel.

He entered the kitchen again and rummaged in the cupboards for some bourbon, knowing Rick kept some in the house.

He poured himself a glass and sighed, leaning on the kitchen counter. He still couldn't believe all that happened tonight. Though the thing foremost in his mind should have been the fact that he almost died that night, all he could think about was Katherine.

Katherine was back, had told him she loved him – she had mouthed it to him if he wanted to be technical – and that there was an explanation for why she had faked her death in 1864, why she had never told him that she was alive and free. Damon didn't want to believe her, he wanted to keep thinking that she was a bitch who never cared about him, that she had only toyed with him and his brother. It would be much easier this way. He could simply keep on hating her and avoid those pesky feelings he still harbored for her.

But he couldn't. He had loved her for so long that he didn't know how to stop. If there was some kind of explanation for what she did, he needed to hear it. Maybe if she'd say to his face that she had never loved him, he would finally be able to move on. Or, if she actually had a good reason for making him believe she was trapped in a tomb all those years, then maybe they could start over. Together. Though he couldn't imagine what reason would be able to justify such a thing.

She had looked so sincere when she told him that she wanted to contact him many times over the years but that she couldn't because she had wanted to protect him. Protect him for what though? Damon didn't know what to think.

He knew one thing though. If she had come back only to mess with him, Elena and his brother, she could have killed both Jenna and Jeremy and Damon would have been unable to stop her. Instead she didn't. She had gone straight for John. John who had just tried to kill him. What was that she said, 'I warned you that Damon and Stefan were off-limits'? Was it possible that she stabbed John – without meaning to kill him because she obviously knew about the ring – simply because John had tried to hurt both him and his brother? Katherine wasn't trying to kill John, she was only trying to warn him that if she had tried one more time to hurt him and Stefan, that there would be more severe consequences for him.

And what about Stefan? What did Katherine feel for Stefan? Was she in love with him as well? Because Damon couldn't stand to share her affections with his brother, not again.

Damon was brought out of his thoughts when he heard his phone ringing. It was a message from Liz. Caroline was in the hospital.

Damon cursed. What else was going to happen this damn night?

He ran to his car using his vampire speed and drove to the hospital. Inside he found Liz pacing up and down the waiting room and walked to her.

"Liz, I came as soon as I got the message. Is she okay?"

Liz was in tears, though she was trying to appear strong.

"She's in surgery, it's...they're doing everything they can. I need your help Damon."

"Sure, anything Liz." Damon immediately said. He didn't particularly care for Caroline but Liz was his friend, one of the few friends he had.

"Mayor Lockwood is dead. They thought he was a vampire. They put him in the basement."

Damon tried to look shocked. "Mayor Lockwood was a vampire?"

Liz shook her head. "No, no. A mistake was made, they said he dropped like the others when John's device went off but he...he couldn't have been a vampire, I've known the man my whole life and now Carol Lockwood is gonna want answers and all I can think of right now is Caroline and..." She burst down in tears and Damon hugged her to his chest.

"It's okay. It's okay." He tried to reassure her, feeling awkward. He wasn't good at consoling people. Usually he never even tried to.

About ten minutes later Liz went downstairs to take a coffee at the machine while Damon stayed out of the way, waiting for news. He noticed Elena walking towards Bonnie and decided to follow her, listening in on their conversation.

"Bonnie. How's Caroline?"

"She's weak." Bonnie replied. "They don't know if she's going to make it."

Elena widened her eyes in fear. "What?"

Bonnie nodded, tears in her eyes and moved to embrace Elena.

"Is there something that you can do?" Elena asked then, after the two of them had separated. "Like a spell or something?"

"She doesn't know how, do you?" Damon chose that moment to intervene, walking towards them.

Bonnie glared at him and Damon tried to restrain himself from killing her. It was because of her lie that Damon had almost died that night.

"No, I don't." She said coldly.

"No, you don't because it took Emily years to learn a spell like that." He mocked her.

"Well, I can take down a vampire, that spell was easy to learn." Bonnie replied, trying to appear threatening.

Damon ignored her and turned towards Elena. "I can give Caroline some blood."

"No, no way." Elena immediately shook her head.

"No, just enough to heal her. She will be safe in the hospital and it will be out of her system in a day, she will be better Elena." He pleaded with her, trying to convince her.

"It's too risky, I can't agree to that."

"Do it." Bonnie said. At Elena's expression Bonnie added, "This is Caroline. We can't let her die." She turned towards Damon. "Do it."

"If I do this, you and me, call a truce?"

Bonnie smirked at him. "No. But you'll do it anyway. For Elena."

Damon glared at her but didn't contradict her. Though he was once again twisted up in knots over Katherine, his feelings towards Elena were still there, though sometimes he couldn't say if there were romantic feelings, friendly feelings or simply a way for him to deal with his love for Katherine by shifting his feelings to Elena.

Damon tried to ignore these questions for the moment and turned towards Elena as soon as Bonnie left.

"I know this is probably the last thing you want to do right now but we should talk about what happened tonight."

Elena sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Can you tell me what happened with Katherine then?"

Damon decided to skip the part about him trying to kiss Katherine because he thought she was Elena and simply told her, "She pretended to be you. I was at the house to talk to Jeremy, to tell him what happened to Anna. I was leaving the house when she showed up. We talked for a little while and I thanked her for saving my life, thinking I was talking to you and then…"

"And then what?"

"And then I guess she got tired of the pretending game because she revealed herself to me, told me who she was, that she was disappointed I didn't recognize her. I was just about to attack her when your aunt opened the door and told her that it was time to get back inside."

"So that's how she got an invitation into the house."

Damon nodded. "Yup. I wanted to do something but in front of Jenna, I couldn't. Anyway, Jenna got back inside and that's when Katherine snapped my neck and went inside to stab John."

Elena shook her head. "Why would she stab John?"

"I think they were working together to get rid of the tomb vampires."

Elena looked more and more confused. "But if they were working together…"

"John tried to kill me and Stefan tonight. I think Katherine was pissed about that and attacked John to make sure he would not do it again."

"She knew about the ring, didn't she?"

Damon nodded. "Katherine knew both Isobel and John and was working with both of them so yes, she certainly knew about the ring."

"So she wasn't really trying to kill him? I mean, she knew that he would come back to life even if she did kill him but she kept the ring on his finger anyway."

"Yes. And she didn't try to attack Jenna or Jeremy."

Elena shook her head. "What does she want then? Why is she back? Did she tell you something else?"

"She told me that there's a reason why she stayed hidden all these years, that she was trying to protect me – Stefan as well I imagine. Though I can't say If I believe her or not. Maybe she's simply lying, trying to mess with our heads."

Elena frowned. "You don't believe that though, do you?"

"I think that the best way to mess with you would have been to kill your brother and your aunt but she didn't. Why is that?"

Elena shuddered at the thought of the last remaining members of her family dying. "So what are you going to do?"

Damon shrugged. "I don't know. Wait for her to show up again. See if she's forthcoming with answers for once."

"And if she's not?" Elena asked him, looking deadly serious. "She has an invitation into my house Damon."

"I know. But right now we don't know if she's actually a threat to you or not."

Elena nodded, though she didn't look reassured in the slightest. Damon couldn't really blame her, Katherine was both very dangerous and very unpredictable.

* * *

Jeremy was sleeping. Stefan kept pacing in front of his bed, feeling restless. When he heard the front door opening he went downstairs.

Damon and Elena entered the house, obviously coming back from the hospital.

"Hey, how's Caroline?" Stefan immediately asked. Elena smiled at him but she looked tired and worried.

"Damon gave her his blood. She was in bad shape, Stefan." She sobbed and Stefan immediately embraced her.

"I'm so sorry this happened Elena." Elena nodded and let him go.

She took a deep breath and exchanged a look with Damon.

"What's wrong?" Stefan asked immediately.

"You know John was attacked tonight." Elena started, avoiding his eyes.

Stefan frowned. "Yes. I thought one of the tomb vampires escaped and wanted to get revenge."

Damon smirked. "Not a tomb vampire brother. But someone who should have been in that tomb."

Stefan widened his eyes. "You don't mean…"

Damon smirked again. "Oh yes. Our ex-girlfriend is back."

A few minutes later, after Damon had recounted what had happened with Katherine that night, both Stefan and his brother were standing in the kitchen in silent contemplation while Elena was checking on Jeremy upstairs – there was still a pool of John's blood on the floor but they tried to ignore it for the moment.

"Did she say what she wanted?" Stefan finally asked. "Why is she back?"

Damon huffed and widened his arms in a 'I have no idea' gesture. "She only said that she would explain everything soon. Whatever 'everything' means."

Elena entered the kitchen in that moment. "I told Jeremy, I can't lie to him anymore."

Stefan nodded. "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not alright. I thought that with all the tomb vampires gone things would get better."

"I know. We all did."

"Katherine was in this house. She's been invited in, what are we gonna do?"

Damon snorted. "Move?"

Elena glared at Damon. "Very helpful, thank you."

Elena sat down on one of the chairs around the dining room table. Damon turned serious and looked at her.

"I told you Elena. If Katherine wanted you dead, you would be dead. And so would the rest of your family. But you're not. Hell, she didn't kill me either and she could have, easily. That means she has other plans that don't involve killing you."

"Right and we need to find out what those other plans are and not provoke her in the process." Stefan said, sending a warning look towards Damon. "What happened tonight when you thought she was Elena?"

"To risk another frown line encroaching on a very crowded forehead. I…I tried to kiss her, thinking she was Elena."

"What do you mean you tried to kiss me?" Elena asked, at the same time Stefan asked, "What do you mean you tried to kiss her?"

"Well, you know, when two lips pucker and they go," Damon puckered his lips and made kissing noises. Stefan was sure he was only trying to irritate them.

"Don't worry though." Damon added before Stefan could attack him. "She stopped me. I guess she didn't like that I was trying to kiss her thinking she was someone else. Especially if that someone is her doppelganger."

"We don't have time for this guys." Elena intervened. "John must know something. They were working together after all."

Damon snorted. "She's Katherine. She loves to play games and you're fooling yourself if you think you're going to find out what she's been up to before she wants you to know."

"No, actually Elena's right, John could know something through Isobel. Your mother, she was in touch with Katherine so maybe we can go to the hospital and get him to talk." Stefan said but Damon ignored him.

"I've got a better idea."

"What's that?" Elena asked immediately.

"I'm just gonna ignore the bitch." Damon said before walking towards the door that led to the hallway, obviously feeling the conversation was over. "See you." He waved at them and was about to walk away when Elena's voice stopped him.

"Is that smart?"

"If Katherine thinks she's been ignored it will lure her out, she'll make a move."

"Yeah? And then what?" Stefan asked sarcastically.

"Stake her, rip her head off, something poetic. We'll see." Damon replied with nonchalance but Stefan wasn't fooled. He could see perfectly the conflict in his brother's eyes. Katherine's return had rattled him more that he was letting on.


	4. Chapter 3

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**Chapter 3**

Kate walked towards the entrance of the Lockwood Mansion. Immediately Tyler Lockwood spotted her because he smiled at her, grabbing her hands in appreciation.

"Hey Elena, thanks for coming. Come on in."

Kate enters the house with a smirk. That was just too easy.

She took a look around, spotting Damon talking to Liz and Carol but tried to stay out of his sight for now. Stefan and Elena weren't there yet but she imagined they would arrive soon.

And there was Mason Lockwood. He smiled at her when he saw her and she smiled back, feeling guilty for the way she – Katherine? – had used him.

She decided to step outside for a bit and stood on the front porch, keeping a look out for Elena.

A few minutes later Bonnie Bennett walked over to her, mistaking her for Elena.

"Oh my god! Damon drives me crazy. He's walking around like he's some kind of hero for healing Caroline when it's his fault all of this happened in the first place." Bonnie complained to her and Kate almost rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry Bonnie but I don't agree." Kate said, not sounding apologetic in the least.

"What?"

"Well, if you had deactivated the device like you were supposed to, Tyler – and therefore Caroline – would never had had the accident and she wouldn't be in the hospital right now. The way I see it, Damon fixed your mess so you should be thankful."

Bonnie looked at her with wide eyes, not believing what she was hearing. "What?" She asked again, seemingly in shock. "What are you saying Elena?" She grabbed Kate's arm but after a second she moved her hand away like she had been burnt. Kate smiled at her, realizing that Bonnie had figured out that she was, in fact, not Elena. She knew her smile looked like Katherine's playful/menacing grin and she was perfectly okay with that because that was exactly what she was going for.

"I've got to find Tyler and pay my respects. I'll be back." Bonnie said, fear plain in her eyes and voice.

Katherine kept smiling. "Okay."

Bonnie walked away and Kate watched her go. She watched her entering a room and heard her dialing a phone. Elena picked up on the other end.

" _Hello?"_

"Elena? Where are you?"

" _Bonnie, I know I'm late. I'm getting in the car now. I'll be there in five."_

Katherine moved at vampire speed and, as soon as Elena hanged up, she stood behind Bonnie. Bonnie turned around and gasped at finding her there.

Katherine tilted her head to the side, looking at her curiously before she smiled again. "We haven't officially met. I'm Katherine."

Bonnie glared at her, trying to look braver than she felt. "I know who you are."

Katherine laughed. "Of course you do. You're the best friend right? I've been putting all the pieces of Elena's life together. Isobel told me it was a bit of a puzzle. I do know who Jenna and Jeremy are and I met that delicious ex-boyfriend Matt, who's sweet on Caroline, and then there's you, the vampire-hating Bennett witch. Did I do good?" She mocked her.

Bonnie tried to leave but Katherine sped around her, blocking her way to the exit. "Ah, ah. You're not going anywhere until we talk."

Bonnie glared again and used her migraine thingy against her. Katherine grabbed her head, a little surprised by the pain but it didn't last long. It was like an annoying headache, rather easy to ignore.

"I've been around a long time Bonnie; you're gonna have to do better than that." Katherine warned her before adding, "I don't want to hurt you, I'm just here to talk. It's about Elena."

Bonnie didn't listen and hit her again with that migraine thing. Katherine snarled in irritation, her face transforming. Bonnie opened the doors with her magic, wanting to expose her to other guests but Katherine immediately reverted back to her human features.

Then she felt Stefan's presence behind her, just outside the doorway and turned around. "Hello Stefan. It's been a long time."

"Katherine." Stefan replied, voice neutral. "Leave her alone."

Katherine shrugged. "Okay." She walked until she was standing at his side and smiled playfully at him. "Won't you keep me company?" Stefan sighed and gestured with a hand for Katherine to precede him.

Stefan followed her out of the main room and stood at her side. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, after what happened with Damon yesterday, I figured a public place would be safer." She took a glass of champagne from a nearby tray and sipped the delicious bubbly drink. "Tell me, is he so very mad at me?"

Stefan ignored her question and said. "You're taking this a little far, don't you think? Elena could walk in at any moment."

Katherine grinned. "Mmm, but that's part of the fun, Stefan." She picked a cherry from the table and put it in her mouth. It was such a relief, the fact that she could still enjoy human food. Fortunately these vampires were unlike the Twilight ones. She couldn't imagine giving up on certain foods even if the thing she craved most now was blood.

"Hey guys." Matt said to her and Stefan with a smile. Another person that mistook her from Elena.

Katherine took the cherry out of her mouth and said, "Hey Matt. I heard that Caroline is doing much better. Her recovery was practically miraculous, you must be so relieved."

Matt smiled at her. "I am. Thanks Elena."

Katherine gushed at him. "Uh! His eyes are so blue! Almost as beautiful as Damon's. Almost, of course."

"You need to leave now."

Katherine pouted. "You're hurting my feelings, Stefan. Damon was much happier to see me, then again he thought I was your girlfriend so..." That reminder still hurt but she could use it to rile Stefan up so it was okay.

Stefan glared at her slightly. "Katherine, I'm not doing this with you."

Kate raised her hands a little. "Okay, how about we don't have a couple's fight in front of all of your friends? Walk with me." She extended her hand for him to take it but he didn't.

"Just tell me what you're doing here."

"Well, if you want to know, I missed Damon. One hundred and fifty years without him have been hell. Is that an acceptable reason?"

A look of slight jealousy passed quickly behind Stefan's eyes but it was gone as soon it came. "What game are you playing?"

Katherine giggled and shrugged. "Why? You want to play with me?"

"I don't know. How can I play if I don't know the rules?"

"No rules, Stefan. Don't you remember? No rules."

Katherine walked around him and towards the exit, knowing that Stefan would follow.

* * *

Damon stood on the front porch, glass of bourbon in hand. He spotted Elena arriving with Jenna and Jeremy in tow. A few seconds later, she stood next to him and asked, with that irritating, caring voice so similar but so different from Katherine's. "Hey, how are you doing?"

Damon almost rolled his eyes. "Great Elena. Walking on sunshine, thanks for asking."

"Damon."

"Elena."

"We should be able to talk about this. Damon, we're close enough now. I really want to know how you are doing."

"I tried to kiss you, thinking you were, well, you. Instead I found out that my ex-girlfriend just showed up out of the blue after 150 years and I have no idea why. How do you think I'm doing?"

"I think that you're confused, and hurt."

Damon scoffed. "No, I don't get hurt, Elena."

"No, you don't admit that you get hurt. You get angry and cover it up and then you do something stupid."

Damon looked at her, realization setting in. "You're scared. You think Katherine is gonna send me off the deep end, don't you? I don't need her for that."

He began to step away but then thought better of it and turned around, unable to hold in the question he really wanted to ask her. "You looked surprised when I admitted that I tried to kiss Katherine, thinking that it was you. Why is that such a surprise that I would kiss you?"

"That's not a surprise. I'm surprised that you thought I would kiss you back."

Damon almost winced. "Now I'm hurt." He turned around once again to walk away when Bonnie ran up to them.

"Elena!"

"Bonnie, what happened?" Elena asked, looking worried.

"Katherine's here. I think she's with Stefan now."

* * *

Katherine and Stefan were walking in the Lockwood Mansion's gardens. Kate looked around, impressed despite herself, and commented, "The Lockwoods have a lot more land than they used to. The possessions from all the tomb vampires built them quite a fortune."

"Yeah, why did you want them dead? You're the one who turned most of them."

Katherine looked surprised that Stefan would ask her such a question. "Why? Did you want them feeding on the population? Aren't you glad that they're gone? I would think I did you and Mystic Falls a favor. There's nothing more dangerous than a vengeful vampire, Stefan. You should know, as would John Gilbert."

"You haven't changed at all, have you?" Stefan asked, sounded disappointed.

Kate shook her head. "Oh, I did change a great deal. But you, judgmental like always. Shouldn't be too surprised, after all the vampirism only heightens what's already there." Her serious face turned mischievous once again, "Though I have to admit, you're stronger. Meaner. It's sexy."

"Don't flirt with me Katherine. I'm not Damon; I haven't spent one hundred and forty-five years obsessed with you."

Katherine smirked. "Yeah, based on your choice of women, I'd say otherwise. Not that I care, mind you. I'm here for Damon, not you. I'm sure that Elena will be relieved, that I'm not here to steal her boyfriend."

Stefan looked hurt, once again for a split second, before his face returned blank once again. "So, you did finally make a choice."

Katherine grinned. "Yeah. Took me long enough, eh?"

Stefan shook his head. "I don't buy it."

"Buy what?"

"That you're here for Damon. Why not come to him sooner if you missed him so much? Why let him believe that you were trapped in that tomb?"

Katherine sighed. "I didn't say I was here  _only_  for Damon. There's a reason I faked my death in 1864 and why I stayed away from both of you so many years. But now, things have changed and I can come out of hiding…sort of. I'm still on the down low, that's why I'm pretending to be Elena so much."

Stefan laughed but it wasn't an amused laugh. "I don't believe you. You want to know what I think? You're here to mess with me and Elena and Damon. You're here because I've finally move on, because Damon and I are finally in a somewhat good place, or at least starting to patch up the relationship you destroyed in 1864. You're the same lying, selfish, manipulative bitch that you've always been. So, whatever it is that brought you here, why don't you just get on with it and leave town? Because if you don't, I will hunt you down and I will rip your heart out."

Kate smiled at seeing him so worked up. It was rather fun messing with him. "Believe what you will, Stefan. But I'm not going anywhere. However, I assure you, you will soon be very grateful that I'm here."

"I doubt it."

Kate smiled. "I'll explain everything soon, just because I owe you that much. Feel free not to believe me though. There's only one person whose opinion I care about." Then her ears picked up on the sound of footsteps approaching and she said, "I have to go now, but I'll see you and Elena soon. Send my love to Damon." And with that, she vamp-speed away from the mansion.

* * *

"Stefan?" Elena cried out as soon as she saw him. "Are you okay?"

Stefan nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. She didn't do anything to me. We just talked."

Damon arrived in that moment. "I tried to track her but she's gone."

Stefan nodded, already expecting that.

"What did she want?" Elena asked then.

Stefan shrugged. "To be honest, I don't know. I tried to figure her out, playing along to whatever game she was up to but…"

"Well, what did she say?" Damon asked this time.

"Not much. She wanted me to believe that she finally chose one of us after all these years. That she came back because she missed you, Damon. But it's probably just a way to play us against each other. That's what she does."

Elena, feeling uncomfortable at their discussion of Katherine that in this case, she had no business hearing, decided to leave them to talk alone and joined Bonnie inside the mansion once again.

Damon tried to ignore the feeling of hope burning in his chest at Stefan's words about Katherine and instead, he did what he always did, resort to sarcasm. "Oh, brother, don't you worry. Our bond is unbreakable."

"I'm serious, Damon. Whatever Katherine is up to, it's nothing good. We need to stay united against her. So yes, as much as I would like to kill you, I'm not gonna fight you."

"I tried to kiss Elena."

"Because you feel something for her, because you actually care and I'm not gonna let Katherine come in here and destroy that part of you that is finally, after all of this time, willing to feel something. She will try to break you, she will try to break us and how we respond to that will define us. It's our choice. So, no, I'm not gonna fight you." Stefan looked at him, trying to convene the seriousness in his words before walking away.

* * *

Later that evening, Damon returned to the Boarding House, walked to the living room and poured himself a drink. Then he stopped, sensing a presence behind him, and turned around to find Katherine sitting on the couch.

"Very brave of you to come here." He commented, trying to appear indifferent.

"Why? Am I not welcome?" Katherine pouted.

"Don't pout. It's not attractive on a woman your age."

Katherine smirked and faked hurt. "Ouch."

Damon pretended to ignore her and kept sipping his drink. Only when he felt her vamp-speeding in front of him, he raised his head to look at her. She didn't look much different than she did yesterday. She was wearing all black: black skinny jeans, black top and black jean jacket with black high-heeled ankle boots, her hair let loose and styled in big curls framing her lovely face. The only colour in her outfit was a blue pendant that he imagined was her daylight amulet.

"Do I not even get a kiss? And yet, you're so eager to kiss your brother's girlfriend?"

Damon scoffed. "What? Are you jealous?"

"Are you so surprised that I am?"

Damon didn't answer, instead he said, "Why don't I kill you instead? What are you doing here?"

"Nostalgia, curiosity etc."

"I'm better at the enigmatic one-liners, Katherine. What are you up to?"

"Trust me Damon, when I'm up to something, you'll know it. Right now, I just wanted to see you. Come on. Kiss me. Or kill me. Which will it be? We both know that you're only capable of one."

She inched closer towards his lips but he turned and walked away from her. Kate frowned but it didn't let that dissuade her. She rushed in front of him and grabbed him by the throat before pushing him to the floor. She lied on top on him and said, against his lips, "My sweet, innocent Damon."

He turned himself on top of her and grabbed her by the throat. After a few seconds of hesitation, he kissed her. Katherine responded immediately, feeling lust and love swirling in her belly. Damon ignited a fire in her that she couldn't understand or control but she loved it. She loved him.

"That's more like it." She whispered against his lips before attacking them once again. Their tongues intertwined and fought against each other. She tasted the bourbon he had just drunk on his tongue and wanted more. She pushed Damon against the wall with vamp-speed and ripped his shirt open before caressing his perfect chest and abs, scratching lightly with her nails. They kept kissing, devouring each other, with even more passion than they used to in 1864. The years apart had only made them more eager for each other.

Damon knocked a few books off a nearby small table before pushing Katherine down on it. He kissed and nipped at her neck but then, he suddenly stopped.

"Okay, wait, brief pause." He said, one finger raised in front of his face.

Katherine stood up, not bothering to try to cover herself, wondering when the top she was wearing had been ripped. She looked at Damon straight in the eyes and waited for him to say whatever he wanted to say.

"I have a question. Answer it and it's back to fireworks and rockets' red glare. Answer it right and I'll forget the last one hundred and forty-five years that I've spent missing you. I'll forget how much I loved you, I'll forget everything and we can start over. This could be our defining moment because we have the time. That's the beauty of eternity." He gently caressed her face and Kate closed her eyes in bliss.

"I just need the truth, just once."

"Stop. I already know your question and its answer. The truth is...I've loved you in 1864 and I love you now."

Damon looked relieved and smiled. Then he asked, a frown on his face. "What about Stefan?"

Katherine sighed and walked a few steps away from him, pacing a little. "I don't love him anymore, not like that. But I still care for him. I'm sorry about everything that happened in 1864. I know it doesn't change anything but…I wish I could go back and change what I did. I was selfish but I loved both of you, for different reasons but…I did and I didn't want to give either of you up. I couldn't choose, not then. But it's different now. I spent a century and a half without you and I don't want to spend any more time apart, ever again."

Damon looked surprised at her words, obviously not expecting so much from her. "Then why did you stay away for so long? Why did you let me believe that you were trapped in that tomb? Why didn't you come for me sooner if you missed me so much. And why come back now?"

"I couldn't, not then. I needed to let everyone believe that I died in 1864. I would have preferred if you hadn't asked Emily for that spell. I had hoped that you would think I died and moved on. Not because I wanted you to forget me but because it was safer for you."

"Safer from what? You already said that. That you disappeared to protect me, but protect me from what?"

"Have you ever heard the name Klaus?"

Damon scoffed. "Just a fairytale to scare misbehaving vampires that risk exposure."

"He's not a fairytale. He's very much real. Him, his brother Elijah and the rest of the Original Family."

"Original Family?"

"Yeah. I only met Klaus and Elijah but there are more of them. Rebekah, Kol, Finn. They're all siblings. The very first vampires."

Damon looked confused. "Okay. Let's say I believe you. What does that have to do with you?"

"Klaus wants me dead. Or possibly in agony for the next how many centuries. He's been after me since I became a vampire."

Damon looked even more confused. "Why?"

Katherine sighed. "It's a long story. And I plan on telling it just once. Stefan and Elena need to be here for this. I owe Stefan an explanation and this concerns Elena more than anyone else."

"Does this have something to do with the fact that you and her look exactly alike?"

Kate smiled at him. "Always so perceptive. Yes, it has everything to do with that. So, how about we postpone this conversation until tomorrow? So that your brother and Elena can be here as well."

Damon looked unsure at this, probably thinking about Elena's safety. Kate felt once again the familiar jealousy at Damon's feelings towards Elena but tried to ignore it for the moment.

"Look, Elena is in no danger from me but if you don't trust me with her safety, which I can understand, ask whomever you want to come as well. The witch, your teacher/hunter friend. Whatever. It doesn't matter to me."

Damon sighed and nodded. "I can't promise you that Stefan will be okay with it."

"I would like to point out that, if I wanted to kill her, I would have done so already. I have an invitation to her house after all."

"I know. But maybe you're playing a long game."

"Maybe." Kate smiled mischievously but then, turned serious. "I promise, Elena is perfectly safe with me."

"I wish I could believe you, Katherine. In fact, I wish I could believe you about everything that you just said but…I don't know. I guess I'll have to wait for your full explanation for that."

Kate tilted her head to the side and really looked at him. Then she smiled in realization. "You were playing me before, with the kisses and the whole 'I'll forgive and forget. We can start over.' You were just trying to get information out of me." She was impressed despite herself. "You definitely did a better work than Stefan. Bravo!"

Damon smirked at her. "Did you really think I'm such a doormat that I would simply pretend that nothing ever happened? That I would simply forgive you, just like that, only because of a few sweet words from you? You must think me pathetic and very easy to fool."

"I wished that you would but I guess I was fooling myself." She sighed, feeling sad but not surprised. "Look, I know that I hurt you, more than I can probably understand but, please, believe me when I say that I love you. Only you. I choose you, Damon. I did since the moment you died."

"It's unfortunate for you because I hate you."

"No, you don't." Kate said, sure about this at least. "You're hurt and angry at me but you don't hate me. And even if you do, you loved me once, you can love me again. I'm not giving up on us. Like you said, we have time, it's the beauty of eternity."

"You're going to wait a long time then." Damon said, pretending to be indifferent to her words but he wasn't. He desperately wanted to believe her words but he didn't know if he could trust her, he didn't know if she was telling the truth. He needed more time to figure her out. He wouldn't allow her to fool him.

Kate shrugged. "I can be patient." Then with a grin to lighten the mood, she added, "It's rather late. Aren't you going to invite me to stay the night?"

Damon scoffed. "I don't think so."

"Oh, come on. I'm not asking to sleep in your bed, though I would love that. But you have so many rooms. You won't even notice I'm here."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Fine. Just as long as you choose the one furthest from mine."

"And something to eat, perhaps? I'm starving."

"There are blood bags in the basement. Serve yourself."

Katherine smiled at him in thanks before going to do just that. She devoured two blood bags before going upstairs to search for a room.

As soon as she found one that was to her liking, she took off her clothes until she was just in her underwear before going to bed.

She tried to fall asleep but she couldn't turn off her heightened senses. She was hyperaware of Damon being a few rooms over, in bed as well and turning from side to side, unable to fall asleep as well. She breathed deeply and heard Damon doing the same.

She turned on her side and then on her back to look at the ceiling, feeling tense in a way that had nothing to do with anxiety. She rubbed her thighs together slightly to try to ease her discomfort but it didn't do much.

She heard Damon sighed, then the noise of sheets being moved, then his feet on the floor. She held her breath and heard his steps coming closer. Then he stopped, right in front of her door.

Katherine sat up in bed and watched the door. After a few seconds of stillness, she saw it being opened.

Damon stood on the threshold, only wearing a pair of boxer shorts, lust plain on his face. She knew that there was the same look reflected in her eyes and she didn't try to hide it.

In a few strides Damon was on her, kissing her passionately. He wasn't gentle, he wasn't loving. This wasn't about love, this was about sating desire. He grabbed her by the shoulders and push her to lie on the bed before moving on top of her. Kate put her arms around his neck, caressing his hair with her nails and nipping at his earlobe to get him to slow down a bit but Damon wasn't having it. He ripped her panties in his haste to get her to take them off, put her left leg around his waist, then freed his member from his boxers and pushed himself inside her roughly.

It was over quickly, a few hard, quick thrusts – his only intent reaching his own pleasure – and then he came inside her.

They stayed still for a few seconds in each other's arms, Kate still unsatisfied, then Damon get off of her and left the room without another word.

Kate's eyes filled with tears, feeling used and dirty and heartbroken. Then she reigned herself in. Damon was angry and he had every right to be. She deserved it after the hell she had put him through – well, not her exactly but still. He was trying to punish her and that was fine because it meant that he wasn't indifferent to her, that was the most important thing.

She would regain Damon's love, even if that was the last thing she ever did.


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, with another chapter! Hope you like it! I know some people weren't exactly happy with how the last chapter ended but it was necessary. Hope this chapter will make up for it. One last thing, before I leave you to it, since some people pointed out, rightly, that werevolves can't be compelled, I changed my plans about Mason and changed chapter1 accordingly. In fact, I know exactly how I'm going to finish this story and I'm also planning a sequel. Can't tell you about what though because it would reveal too much about how this story will end. Anyway, read and review, tell me what you think!

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**Chapter 4**

Kate left very early the next morning, leaving Damon a vague note about having plans for the day. To be honest, she needed to put some distance between her and Damon after what had happened the night before. She was still extremely pissed and hurt and she couldn't allow herself any distractions caused by hurt feelings at the moment. She needed to put the first phase of the 'getting rid of Klaus once and for all' plan in motion.

Thanks to her knowledge of the TV show and all 500 years of Katherine's memories, she knew exactly what she needed to do. Or at least, she had various options in mind and hopefully one of those would finally work in her favor. It wasn't going to be easy, dealing with the threat that Klaus represented and, unfortunately, some parts of the plan had many variables that could cause very dangerous consequences for her and the ones she loved. Still, she needed to start acting now and deal with those consequences as they came.

The first order of business was contacting Lucy and then, she would deal with Mason Lockwood in a way that would hopefully convince him to fight on her side instead of going against her. She knew that telling Mason the truth (or at least, most of the truth) was dangerous, who knew how he would react? Still, she felt bad about what she had done to him, the way she had manipulated him, so she hoped that this would make up for what she had done. If worse came to worse, she would offer Mason to Klaus as the sacrifice or she would have to kill him herself but she hoped it would not come to that.

"Hey Kat!" Lucy's voice came from the other line of the phone.

"Hey Lucy! So, I need a favor. Can we meet?"

"Sure. Tell me where and I'll come to you."

The two of them met at Mrs. Flowers' bed and breakfast and immediately embraced. Though she knew that, at first, Lucy had worked for her because she owned Katherine a life debt, she hoped that they had become actual friends in the years they had known each other. Lucy knew about Klaus and the curse and, as long as Katherine stayed away from any Bennett witches, she knew the two of them would get along.

"So, what do you need?"

Kat explained what she had in mind and watched a frown marrying Lucy's beautiful face.

"Do you think it's a good idea?"

Kat shrugged. "Maybe not. But I think it would be good to have him on our side, for real. I'm hoping that telling him almost the whole truth and offering him what I have in mind, would sweeten the deal. So, do you think you can pull it off?"

"Yeah, sure. I mean, it has never been done before but thanks to the Grimoires you collected during the years, a few modifications to the daylight ring spell, the black kyanite and the full moon. Yes, I'm rather certain I can do it."

Kate smiled at her. "Perfect. I knew I could count on you Lucy. You're a lifesaver."

Lucy smiled back at her. "I like to think we're friends, Kat. You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you, as long as…"

"As long as it doesn't hurt your family. Yes, of course I know. I would never hurt a Bennett witch. Emily Bennett was my best friend. I only wish I could have saved her…"

Lucy sighed. "I know. But you had to disappear. I don't blame you for that." Then she added, a little reluctantly. "Are you really sure about this? Giving Mason a way to control the transformation would pose a risk for you and all your vampire friends every day as opposed to only the three nights of the full moon. It's very dangerous."

"I know. But as long as I can get Dr Maxfield to…cooperate, he will have a cure for the werewolf venom in no time."

"Yes, but all your plans are based on Mason allowing Maxfield to take the venom from him. What if he doesn't allow it?"

"I'm going to offer him the only way a werewolf can control his transformation and, of course, he's not going to get it until he does what I want. I'm many things, Lucy, but I'm not stupid."

Lucy laughed. "Oh, I know. You're probably the smartest person I've ever met."

"Still, just to be on the safe side, I'll wait to talk to Mason after the full moon for this month passes, hopefully I will have the moonstone by then. Just in case he gets any ideas about biting me because he's furious with me. In the meantime, I'm going to visit a certain professor at Whitmore." Kat and Lucy shared a smirk. "I'm going to enjoy this."

"What about the…other thing? Have you thought about how are you going to get it?" Lucy asked then.

Kat sighed again. "It's not going to be easy but what other choice do I have? I can't wake Silas and bring about the apocalypse, that would defeat the purpose of me getting rid of Klaus if I end up dying because of Silas, right? And anyway, the whole process to get it is so convoluted. The easiest way to get it is through one of the two prison worlds and it just so happens that I know the person who has the ascendant for the 1994 prison world. Once I get it, we'll go to Nova Scotia, you'll open the portal or whatever is called, I'll go, take cure and then you'll get me out. Can I trust you with this? A great part of my plan is based on the fact that I'm counting on you so, can I?"

"Of course. I won't let you down, Kat, I promise."

Kat smiled at her. "I know you won't. Thank you, Lucy, I don't know what I would do without you."

"What about Elijah? Have you thought about what are you going to do about him?"

Kat shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Elijah is a wild card. But right now is not the time to worry about him. I'll deal with him when he shows up. As much as he says he's a man of his word, when it comes to his crazy family…Anyway, thinking about him still hurts and, to be honest, I'm already dealing with Damon's hatred towards me, I don't want to add any more emotional baggage to my already full plate. I still have to tell Damon and Stefan the truth and that is a conversation I'm definitely not looking forward to. For now, let's focus on the things I can control and deal with the rest later, okay?"

Lucy nodded and then they parted ways, Lucy to wherever she was staying and Katherine towards Whitmore College to kidnap a certain professor. Though she couldn't kill him for now, the rest of the Augustines were fair game. After what they had done to Damon, they deserved this and worse.

* * *

Damon woke up that morning feeling like absolute shit. Thinking about the night before filled him with shame and that was a feeling he had no idea how to deal with. It wasn't his thing to regret his actions, or at least, once he screwed up, he would usually figure there was no point in dwelling on it so he would just try to forget about it. Hating himself for the bad things he did was his brother's thing, not his and yet…and yet. Saying sorry and making amends would mean letting go of his pride but he didn't know he could do that since his pride was pretty much the only thing he had left at the moment.

What had happened yesterday wasn't planned. In fact, he'd have preferred avoiding Katherine's room altogether but the temptation of having her there, only a few doors distance away from him, it was just too much. He had missed her so damn much and the power she had over him was still too strong to just ignore her. And that had made him furious. So furious in fact that he hadn't even realized what he was doing. He just knew that he wanted her and that he was angry at her because of it so he needed to punish her, make her feel like nothing, just like she had done with him. But he had taken things too far, even he could admit that. She didn't deserve that, no matter how much hurt she had put him through in the past.

He still didn't know if he could trust her, of course, but that didn't justify what he did. The problem was that, when it came to her, it was impossible to see things objectively. How could he trust his own judgment when it came to Katherine Pierce? He had been wrong before, or at least, he had thought he was wrong but then, maybe he hadn't been after all. Katherine kept repeating that she loved him but could he really believe her? What if it was just another one of her games? Katherine loved to play games so who could tell really if she was finally being sincere for once or if this was just another one of her lies? What was her endgame here? What did she want? Why was she back? Was Stefan right? Was Katherine here just to mess with them? Or was Katherine telling the truth, that there was an explanation for everything? Damon didn't know what to think and these doubts were driving him absolutely mad. He didn't know what to do. And most of all, he didn't know how he could face her again after what he had done.

He got up from the bed he was lying on and focused his hearing on the rest of the house. But there was no heartbeat except for his own. Neither Stefan, nor Elena, and least of all, Katherine was here. Damon sighed in relief, grateful he didn't have to face her just now though he worried what she could been up to so early in the morning.

After a shower and a few blood bags for breakfast, he went to pour himself a glass of bourbon and that's where he saw it, a note, in Katherine's elegant handwriting.

_I've got stuff to do today. Don't wait for me. I will see you and Stefan and Elena tonight. We still need to talk. -K_

Damon sighed. No mention of what had happened yesterday but the note seemed cold, impersonal and that was all the proof Damon needed that Kat wasn't over what he had done. He wondered if she was going to bring it up the next time they saw each other or if she would behave differently with him now. And how was _he_ going to behave towards her now?

God, what the hell was wrong with him? He was Damon fucking Salvatore. He didn't do awkward or uncertain. Why was Katherine the only woman in the world who could twist him up in nodes like this?

He gulped the bourbon in one swallow and poured himself another glass. It wasn't even noon but what the hell, vampires never stayed drunk for long. He would be fine in half an hour, more than enough time to sober up for when he would meet Carol at the Lockwood Mansion. Maybe he could figure out what the deal was with that family. At least it would work as a distraction for the day.

* * *

Damon was in the sitting room of the Lockwood Mansion with Carol.

"So, I understand John Gilbert has left town. Have they found the vampire that attacked him?"

Damon almost smirked at the question but managed to keep his face neutral. "Well, the sheriff has asked me to take the lead on that and I promise you I will get to the bottom of it."

"Which brings me to my next subject. With Richard gone, I'll be acting as interim mayor until the elections and I'm going to need someone to spearhead out the council. I'd like that person to be you."

Damon put on his best responsible and honored look he could master. "Whatever you need Carol. As a founding family member it's something that's very close to me so I would be honored to help keep this town safe from vampires."

Tyler Lockwood and his uncle Mason entered the house just then. Carol got up and closed the door of the living room, effectively cutting them out.

"Is it safe to talk?" Damon asked with false concern.

"It's my brother-in-law, Mason. He's still visiting. I just don't want him to hear us. He didn't want any part of the council when he lived here and I see no reason to bring him into it now."

Damon started listening into their conversation while keeping an ear out for what Carol was saying.

" _What was that? Like seven?" Tyler was saying._

" _Six. I don't count the last one. You crawled it." Mason answered._

" _What?"_

" _I think Grandma Lockwood actually passed you, in her walker."_

" _Yeah, okay. Shoes off. Mud...my mom..."_

" _Yeah, yeah." Mason presumably took off his shoes. "So all this anger and aggression you're talking about, you notice a difference when you exercise?"_

" _Dude, I play three varsity sports. I work out four times a week and run three. I'm gonna say no."_

" _Do you have episodes? What happens exactly?"_

" _Starts out normal, I get angry typically over nothing. I'm an angry guy. I know it just amplifies and I just go off."_

" _You black out?"_

" _Yeah, it's like I go blind with rage."_

" _Is there a pattern? Like once a month, only at night?"_

" _All I know is I lose myself, you know? For that time I become something else and I hate it."_

"More tea?" Carol asked, bringing Damon back to the present. "Damon?"

"Oh yes, please. Thank you Carol."

* * *

Damon was pouring a blood bag inside a glass when Stefan arrived.

"Care for one?" Damon immediately goaded him.

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry, just ate."

Damon almost snorted at Stefan's response. Of course he was hungry, vampires were always hungry, especially those who only drank animal blood.

"Are you worried that one day, all the forest animals are gonna band together and fight back? I mean, surely they talk."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "I'm just happy that's a blood bag and not a sorority girl supplying your dinner."

Damon smirked. "I like this. You, walking on eggs shells around me because you think I'm gonna explode. Very suspenseful. Is Elena worried too? I bet I'm your every conversation."

"Have you heard from Katherine?"

Damon ignored his question. "I think the Lockwoods have a family secret because the Gilbert device affected them but vervain didn't so they're not vampires, they're something else."

"Is this your new obsession?"

"You'd rather some unknown supernatural element running rampant upon our town. Fine, I'll drop it."

"We haven't seen the last of Katherine, you do know that right? We have no idea what she's up to."

"Yeah, about that." Damon finally decided to fess up. "She was here yesterday."

"What? What did she want? What did she do?"

"Well, I decided to play the same game you did. You know, trying to see if I could…persuade her…to tell me what she was up to…"

"And…?"

"And she said something about Klaus and the Original Family, the very first vampires. From what she said, Klaus is apparently after her, had been for 500 years, since she became a vampire but she didn't go into any specifics. She said she's going to explain everything to us and Elena tonight."

"Wait. Klaus, Klaus? Is he real? And you believe her?" Stefan asked, part skeptical and part intrigued.

Damon shrugged. "She's Katherine. Can we really, ever, believe her words? I don't know what to think. But we should, at least, hear her out, no? What do we have to lose?"

Stefan nodded and asked, "And where is she now?"

"How should I know? I'm not her keeper. She will show up when she wants to. That's what she does. She comes and goes as she pleases and brings chaos wherever she passes."

* * *

Damon had decided to show up at the Carnival for want of anything better to do. Mostly so he could keep an eye on Mason and Tyler Lockwood.

He watched with boredom as Tyler arm-wrestled in a competition in one of the carnival stands.

"You're lurking." Stefan said from behind him before coming to stand next to him.

"I'm observing." Damon said.

"More like obsessing."

Tyler won the match and Damon frowned. "He's got strength."

Stefan looked uninterested. "He's a triple letter varsity athlete, of course he has strength. You're reaching."

Mason arrived in that moment to challenge Tyler. "I bet I can take you."

"Enter the uncle." Damon commented.

"That's ridiculous." Stefan said.

Mason beat Tyler.

"Okay, he's the champ, who wants to go next?" Tyler said to the small crowd around him.

"Stefan wants to go." Damon immediately proposed.

"Yeah, sure, I'll...give it a shot." Stefan said, resignation clear in his voice.

Stefan joined Mason.

"Get him Stef!" Damon cheered with fake enthusiasm.

"My brother over there thinks I can beat you." Damon heard Stefan saying to Mason.

"Your brother's wrong." Mason replied.

They started wrestling, both putting in hard pressure. Mason beat him after a few minutes and Stefan went to rejoin Damon.

"You didn't put in any effort at all." Damon said angrily.

Stefan frowned in suspicion. "Yeah, actually I did."

Damon widened his eyes in surprise before saying "Come with me."

Damon and Stefan went in the hallway, away from prying eyes and hears.

"Is he...?" Damon asked.

Stefan shook his head. "No, no, it wasn't that kind of strength but it was more than human, if that makes any sense."

"What is up with that family? They're not vampires, what the hell are they?"

"Ooh, ah, maybe they're, um, ninja turtles!"

Damon frowned at Stefan's bad joke. "You're not funny."

"Or no, zombies, werewolves."

Damon rolled his eyes. "No comedic timing at all."

Damon turned his head and saw a boy repairing something. Stefan followed his gaze and immediately asked Damon, "What are you up to?"

"This is reality and there's no such thing as werewolves or...combat turtles."

"I said ninja turtles, actually."

Damon ignored Stefan's words and went towards the guy. "Hey you!"

"I have a name." The guy said.

"Yeah I don't care." Damon caught his shoulder to keep him immobile and compelled him. "I need you to pick a fight with someone, a kid named Tyler Lockwood."

"Damon, don't do this." Stefan intervened, joining Damon's side.

Damon turned towards Stefan and shooed him away with his hand. "It's just an experiment." Then he turned toward the guy and kept compelling him. "Get him mad, don't back down no matter what he does, okay?"

"I won't back down." The guy said, eyes blank.

Damon smirked. "I know you won't." And with that he released him and pat him on the back before the guy left.

"Do you realize someone is going to get hurt right?" Stefan asked him.

"No, someone is going to get mad, as in rage."

"What's that going to accomplish?"

"That Tyler kid is incapable of walking away from a fight. Let's see who intervenes; maybe it's the ambiguous, supernatural mystery uncle."

* * *

A little while later Damon was walking alone in the school hallway when Caroline arrived. Damon sensed her, stopped and turned around to face her.

"Hey Blondie, they let you out?"

Caroline glared at him. "I remember."

"What do you remember?"

"I remember how you manipulated me, you pushed me around, abused me, erased my memories, fed on me."

Damon was taken aback. "You're crazy."

"Memories have been coming back, in pieces."

"You can't remember. It's impossible, I mean unless you're becoming a..."

Caroline smiled at him, it wasn't a pleasant smile. "I have a message for Katherine. Tell her that Aurora wants the moonstone. If Katherine doesn't give it to her, the next time she kills someone, it would be you."

Damon looked at her, confused. "Wait…" Damon tried to stop Caroline from leaving but Caroline pushed him away with strength and he was thrown backwards and slid on the floor.

"You suck." Caroline said to him before walking away.

* * *

Elena was talking to one of her classmates when Damon approached her. "Elena."

"Yeah?" Elena noticed immediately Damon's worried look. "What's wrong?"

"I need you to come with me, right now." Damon ordered without giving her any explanation.

Elena frowned. "Damon…has something happened?"

"Come with me and I'll explain." Elena sighed and followed him, wondering when did exactly this become her life. Why couldn't she have just one day to be normal? Just one?

* * *

"How did this happen?" Stefan asked. They were inside one of the many empty classes inside the school.

Damon shrugged. "Well, I fed her my blood and someone killed her in the hospital and A plus B equals…"

"But why? And who would do this?" Elena asked.

"Caroline said that she had a message for Katherine from someone named Aurora. Who that is…I have no clue."

"And this Aurora killed Caroline only to send a message to Katherine?" Elena asked, appalled.

"Yup. She wants the moonstone, whatever that is." Damon explained.

"We need to talk to Katherine." Stefan said.

"Yeah, I know. If only I knew how to contact her. It's not like she left me her phone number." Damon said sarcastically before wondering, "Does she even use a phone?"

"Why choose Caroline though? Katherine doesn't even care about Caroline, she doesn't even know her."

"I don't know." Damon said, wondering the same thing.

"Caroline must be completely out of her mind, she doesn't even know what's happening to her." Stefan said then.

"Oh, I think she does." Damon explained. "All of my compulsion from the past started wearing off the minute she was in transition."

"We have to find her." Stefan said.

"Yep, and kill her."

Elena glared at Damon. "You're not gonna kill Caroline."

Damon turned to look at her. "She knows who we are. She's officially a liability, and we've got to get rid of her."

"Damon, absolutely not."

Damon rolled his eyes at his brother. "Need I remind you of a tragic little story of a girl named Vicki Donovan? Caroline, of all people, will not make it as a vampire. Her mother is a vampire hunter. Guys come on, we all know how this story's gonna end, just flip to the last chapter and..."

Elena crossed her arms against her chest in stubbornness. "It's not an option Damon."

"No? Your silence is deafening, Stefan. Wait, wasn't there a school carnival the night you staked Vicki? I never had a town where history repeats itself. You know I'm right."

"We're not gonna kill her." Stefan said to his brother but he didn't look too sure of his own words. Stefan left the room and Elena followed him.

"It's the only way." Damon said before Elena was out of the room. Elena kept walking, ignoring his words. Damon sighed and went looking for Caroline.

* * *

Damon smelled blood and heard Caroline crying. He sped up to where she was. Caroline had blood all over her face and there was a body on the ground. Ironically it was the body of the guy Damon had compelled to pick a fight with Tyler Lockwood.

"He's dead. I killed him. What's wrong with me?" Caroline asked him between tears.

Damon approached her and said in a way that he was hoping was comforting, "Hey, hey it's okay. I can help you."

"You can?"

Damon looked at Caroline's trusting face and felt a pang of guilt. "Yeah, I have to."

"What are you gonna do?"

"The only thing I can do. I'm gonna kill you."

Caroline started crying even more in fear. "Please don't! I don't want to die!"

"Yeah, but you are already dead."

"No! I'm not. Don't say that, okay? Just help me!"

"Okay."

"Okay? Just help me please! Please, please!"

"Okay, okay. It's the only way."

Damon hugged Caroline to his chest and raised his right arm in the air, holding a piece of wood that would work as a stake in his hand. Before he could stake her though Stefan arrived and rushed towards him, pulling his hand away. The stake fell to the ground. "Stefan!" Damon shouted, angry at his brother.

Elena stood in front of Caroline, wanting to comfort her but not knowing what to do. Caroline looked distraught like Elena had never seen her.

"Stefan, we've got to get her inside."

"It's okay Caroline, come with me." Stefan approached Caroline cautiously and said to her.

"She will die, it's only a matter of time." Damon called out to his brother.

Stefan barely turned around to look at him. "Yeah, maybe so, but it's not gonna happen tonight."

"Oh, yeah it is." Damon said menacingly before using vampire speed to appear in front of Caroline. He picked up the stake and rushed towards them but Elena put herself in front of Caroline. Damon stopped his hand just in time.

"Damon, she's my friend." Elena pleaded with him.

Damon grabbed the stake tighter in his hand but didn't made any other move. Elena refused to move and Damon sighed before dropping his arm.

"Whatever happens, it's on you." Elena nodded and made to follow Stefan and Caroline when two people arrived at the same time, from two opposite directions.

One was her best friend Bonnie and the other…Elena gasped, seeing Katherine for the first time. Bonnie was right. It was like looking at her reflection in the mirror, it was creepy.

Katherine moved to stand near Damon, tilting her head to the side and looking around her. "So, what did I miss?" She smirked but nobody answered her question.

"Caroline?" Bonnie asked, confused about what was going on.

Stefan tried to shield Caroline from Bonnie's gaze. "It's okay, come on."

In that moment Bonnie saw the blood on Caroline's face. "No, you're not! you can't be." Bonnie touched Caroline's hand and she was horrified by the truth.

"Bonnie?" Caroline asked in a tiny voice.

Bonnie noticed Carter's body in that moment. "Oh god!"

"Bonnie…" Caroline pleaded but Bonnie refused to look at her. Stefan took Caroline away and that left Elena, Bonnie, Katherine and Damon.

Katherine looked at her doppelganger. "Hello Elena. It's nice to finally meet you."

Elena looked at her, blinking at few times, not exactly sure what to say to her. "How do we look exactly alike?" It was all she managed to say.

Katherine shrugged. "It would be too long to explain right now. How about we go to the Boarding House as soon as Stefan is done with Caroline and we all talk, huh?"

Elena nodded, still dazed. Damon refused to look at Katherine and Katherine ignored him for the moment.

Damon left for a moment to retrieve a shovel from the trunk of his car but Katherine didn't follow him. To be honest, she wasn't looking forward to stay alone with Damon right now. Though she loved him, what he had done to her…well, it was still a lot to process. She needed a little time to get over it. The humiliation and hurt was still too recent, too fresh in her mind.

Bonnie turned to look at her then and the hatred in her eyes surprised her.

"You! This is your fault! You and Damon's!" Bonnie spat at her.

Katherine raised her hands in the air. "Yeah, I haven't done this so, how about you just calm down, okay?"

Bonnie didn't listen to her. Instead she started to do that witchy migraine thing again. Katherine rolled her eyes, ignoring the pain. "I told you already. You will have to do better than that if you want to take me out."

Damon arrived in that moment, shovel in hand. He looked at Bonnie and Katherine alternatively, wondering what was going on.

In that moment Bonnie's attention turned to Damon. Damon fell on the ground and clutched his head in pain.

Katherine snarled at the witch. "Oh no, you don't!" Katherine sped in front of Damon, blocking Bonnie's visual of him. Damon groaned in relief but Bonnie wasn't done.

Using her powers, Bonnie opened a faucet and water immediately started to come out of a hose.

"I told you what would happen if anyone else got hurt." Bonnie said to Damon, still concentrating on the water.

"I didn't do this." Damon said to her.

"Bonnie, it wasn't his fault." Elena intervened. "Either of them."

"Everything that happens is their fault Elena."

"Bonnie, what are you doing?"

Bonnie didn't answer but the water soon turned to fire and it was headed directly towards them. Katherine acted immediately, picking Damon from the ground and sped away from the line of fire, literally.

She brought him to his car but left immediately, returning to where Bonnie and Elena were. She sped in front of Bonnie and grabbed her shoulders, hard. Bonnie cried out in pain and Elena screamed at Katherine to let her go but Katherine ignored them both.

"Listen to me, witch and pay attention. The only reason I don't kill you tonight is because a friend of mine is a Bennet witch and because Emily Bennet was my best friend, and that means something to me. But the next time you pull something like this again, actually the next time you look at Damon the wrong way, I won't be so forgiving…do you understand?"

When Bonnie didn't answer, Katherine shook her hard. "I said, do you understand?"

Bonnie nodded and Katherine let her go. "Good." She smiled at her sweetly and Bonnie whimpered in fear.

Elena sighed in relief. "Maybe we should get out of here?"

Katherine nodded at her. "Yup. But first we have to bury this poor guy. You go on, Elena, I'll meet you at the Boarding House. We have a lot to talk about."

Elena nodded and pushed Bonnie away. They left together.

Katherine sighed and looked at the ground. "Why do I always have to do the dirty work?"

"Afraid you will break a nail?" Damon said from behind her.

Katherine tensed at his presence and didn't turn to look at him. She faked a nonchalant tone. "Manicure is very important to me. Do you know how much it costs me every month?"

"Nothing, I imagine, since all you have to do is compel someone." Damon said in a casual voice that Katherine knew was fake.

Katherine sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Still, this is not my ideal way of spending an evening, you know?" She knelt on the ground and picked up the dead guy with one hand and the shovel with the other.

"Katherine…" Damon tried to say, voice uncertain.

"Please, stop. Whatever you are going to say. I can't hear it right now."

Damon sighed but nodded. Together they buried the body and then returned to Damon's Camaro. Katherine sat on the passenger seat and Damon drove them towards the boarding house. Katherine wasn't looking forward to the conversation they were about to have but she knew she had put it off for long enough. It was time to come clean, about everything.


End file.
